Fluorine-free nanoparticle coatings on cotton fabric: comparing the UV-protective and hydrophobic capabilities of silica <i>vs.</i> silica-ZnO nanostructures
Irene Liu, Xin Hu, Bin Fei, Cheng Hao Lee, Suju Fan, John H. Xin, Nuruzzaman Noor
Abstract
, UPF > 384); properties which were absent in non-ZnO-containing samples. Such water repellency and UPF capabilities were stable to both laundering and UV-exposure, resisting the commonly encountered UV-induced wettability transitions associated with photoactive ZnO. These results suggest that ZnO-containing silica NP coatings on cotton can confer both excellent and persistent surface hydrophobicity as well as UV-protective capability, with potential uses in wearables and functional textiles applications.
Topics & Concepts
Materials scienceNanoparticleNanostructureChemical engineeringFluorineNanotechnologyMetallurgyEngineeringSurface Modification and SuperhydrophobicityElectrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical ApplicationsPolymer Nanocomposites and Properties